Times in Between
by Ambroshia Sullivan
Summary: Dean and Sams childhood was far from normal, as were the events that lead them towards their hunters life. These are the short stories about all the times in between hunts when they were young. Various characters. Review please. I own nothing.
1. Chapter 1

The only company he had was the intermittent light from the streetlights above him and the soft hum of the radio that had been turned down hours ago. The impala's growls echoed through the cars cabin, a comfort in the dark.

He had been driving down some nameless back road for some time now and even though his eyes were trying to fight for sleep, the dark anger he felt pushed him forwards. He would hunt that demon down and he would kill it. 'For Mary' he thought. A few miles later though, his thoughts were interrupted by a small sound.

A soft murmur reached Johns ears from the back seat. He glanced into the rearview mirror to inspect his charges. Dean was slumped over against the left car door, eyes fluttering beneath his lids. Leaning against him was Sam, messy hair hiding his face but John knew he was asleep.

They were wearing the same clothes as yesterday and had a slight smell coming from them. They were exhausted from all of the traveling, though neither boy would have ever said anything.

They hadn't stopped at a motel in a few days, which John felt slightly bad about, yet he knew that the monster he was hunting was too big of a threat to be left alone for long.

Looking back once more he watched his son's sleep. Untroubled by pain or sadness, looking like resting cherubs against the vanilla colored leather. The smallest of smiles graced John's lips, a rare occurrence after Mary died. Only his sons could bring him joy now and he saw so much of her in them that, at times, it hurt. Dean had her smile and brilliant eyes while Sam's quick mind and face resembled hers almost perfectly.

Suddenly he felt a small tug in his heart and mind, as though mary were there trying to tell him something. He looked around the car and saw day old burger wrappers and stale chips, crumbled blankets and one of Dean's toy soldiers.

"I guess it would be okay to stop for a while, wouldn't it?" John whispered to the air. Deep in his heart he hoped that Mary heard him and smiled.


	2. Chapter 2

When Bobby had bought the plot of land that would one day be his junk yard, he never thought that his life would be anything but ordinary. He always believed that he and his wife would grow old together in the large old house they had bought. That all the little touches Karen had decorated it with would be their forever and that she and him would share the rest of their lives with one another.

But that wasnt meant to be. A demon had stolen her body and forced him to killer her. The love of his life, whose beautiful, kind face haunted him still.

That was the day the happy home he had imagined vanished and became a holdout against the darkness that plagued the world. Under the ground around the property, he laid out salt coated, iron bars in the shape of a devil's trap. He bought books on the occult and cast protection spells everywhere he could. Bobby brought in gates made of pure silver and bought enough bullets and knives to provide for an army.

But all of this was not enough to erase Karen's memory and so he turned the land into a car junk yard. In his younger days he had learned quite a bit about mechanics and it kept his mind busy.

And soon he became somewhat of an authority on monsters and demons and ghosts, hunters from across the country calling him for help on a case.

It was one such call that would intertwine Bobby's life with the Winchesters forever. A young man had been referenced to him by another hunter. His wife had been murdered by some creature and he was desperate for any information on its whereabouts.

'I guess i should meet him' mused Bobby. He didn't usually do face to face interactions with other hunters but the man was close by and Bobby still had a soft spot for others.

"Please sir. I need to find who did this and i think you are the only one who knows anything important." said John. His voice was strained and had a undertone of tiredness and rage.

"Yeah sure. I'll meet you but don't expect much, i have never heard of a monster that was able to do what you say." his gruff tone ever present.

An unhappy sound came from the other end of the line but a curt "Okay i'll be there tomorrow." came through. A second later the line went dead.


	3. Chapter 3

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Never had he seen so many disregarded cars before.

Ever since he could remember, his dad had taught him about vehicles and how they were to be respected and treated like ladies. And yet here there were stacks upon stacks of mangled and rusting cars.

Dean's eyes roamed over the wrecking yard with a mix of disgust and wonder. Repelled by how people had trashed so many amazing cars and amazed that he had so many parts to play with. Like father like son, Dean loved machines and cars. How every part fit somewhere perfectly and how, once built, they actually functioned and could be played with. He knew his dad used to be a mechanic and he wanted to be just like him, covered in grease and oil, fixing up cars.

"Sammy look at that! Thats a 1969 Pontiac GTO!" Dean shouted enthusiastically as John slowly made his way through the yard. But Sam wasn't paying attention to him as he was looking at the house that was up ahead. It loomed over the rest of the yard and cast a long shadow on the ground.

The impala rolled to a stop by the front porch and an older man exited. He wore an old plaid shirt and a sweat drenched ball cap. His beard was a rich brown with small portions turning gray and he lumbered towards them.

To the young boys, the man was the perfect image of every trucker they had seen in movies.

"Boys stay in the car for a minute." John said as he stepped out of the car and shouted a greeting to the man. He poked his head back through the open door and said to Dean "watch your brother, ok? Make sure he's stays safe." and then shut the door.

"Dean?" Sam was still too small to understand most of what was happening and he was frightened. The dark house was scary and the rotting cars were menacing. His young mind was turning them into terrifying visages.

"Its ok Sammy. That guy is going to help dad, so he's nice." Dean reassured, though he wasn't entirely convinced himself.

John turned and motion to them to get out and so the boys started to head toward the house.


	4. Chapter 4

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Bobby was standing near the door when he heard the rumble of an engine coming towards his home. In the past few years he had become an increasingly cautious man, never allowing anything strange or unexpected near him.

Other than on cases, Bobby liked things to be normal. He enjoyed watching football games and kicking back and having a beer. Listening to his favorite music and working on cars. But since he had become the 'a phonecall away monster encyclopedia', his life was usually chalked full of strange occurrences.

Which is why he was waiting by the front door, just to make sure that whoever was driving up his path was who he thought it was and not some shape shifter or ghoul.

The car that drove up was an 1967 Chevrolet Impala, polished to perfection, without a smug or scrape upon it. On its front it bore a Kansas licence plate reading KAZ 2Y5. Vaguely in the back of Bobby's mind he noted that it sounded like a feral animal just waiting to be set free.

The man driving was probably in his late 20's early 30's with dark eyes and a square face. Handsome in the same way that most rugged men are and was wearing several layers of plaid shirts and a jean jacket. He looked like a man who had seen too much in his young life and had aged considerably for it.

But that was a side note in Bobby's mind as he took stock of the passengers in the backseat. Two young boys, both dark haired and incredible young, sat pressed against the rear view glass window to peer out at his car lot.

This shocked and enraged Bobby. 'How dare he bring two kids into this' he seethed internally.

Most hunters were loners, either not having families at all or leaving them for periods of time while on hunts. But they never brought them into the fight, never took kids into the maw of danger. And yet here was this man, dragging around two unarmed, untrained kids into the hunter lifestyle.

Bobby already didn't like him.

The man named John step from his car and said something to his sons. At this time Bobby opened the door and waited out on the porch. 'I should have cleaned up a bit' he thought, worries about the children's safety (due to the fact that some of the thing he had laying about were extremely dangerous) sprang up in his mind.

"You must be Bobby Singer." hollard John as he made his way toward the older man. "Thank you for seeing me." He outstretched his arm and took the other man's hand. The handshake was firm and domineering on both sides, neither wanting to give an inch of ground to the other.

"Well son, might as well tell me the whole story. Come on in." Bobby said opening the door. "And let those two boys out while you're at it. Its too hot for them to stay in that car for long."

John turned and motioned for the boys to get out and follow him. Bobby paused for a minute to watch that the boys actually were coming and then proceeded to lead the way inside, John at his heels, already regaling the story of his wife and their misfortunes.

By the time Dean and Sam had gotten out of the car, both men had vanished into the building. A rumble from the youngest stomach alerted the siblings how long it had been since they last ate.

"Come on Sammy i bet he has food in there." whispered Dean. He grasped Sam's small hand and pulled him towards the building.

"But Dean, what if something bad is in there?" Sam said, leary of the imposing house. All the houses he had seen were always so pretty and had gardens but the one he stood before was old and menacing.

Dean had not yet thought that there might be something dangerous in the home and so for a moment was taken aback and lost in intense thought. But he recovered quickly and to show his brother how brave he was, took the first few steps toward the door.

"Come on. Its safe. I promise" smiled Dean. He held out his little finger out which Sam eagerly grasped with his own. "Even if there is something bad in there, i will protect you. Its my job as a big brother."

And so a very important promise was made.

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	5. Chapter 5

Finally worked on this. College, man, college drains your life

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When the boys opened the door they were meet to hushed, frantic conversation between the older man and their father.

"-burned to the ceiling and she wasn't the only one, there have been others." John imposed lowly. How could he impress the gravity of the situation to this man, how could he convince him to do whatever was necessary to bring down that monster.

"Listen son, i dont know if i can help you. Ive never heard of such a..." Bobby trailed off as Sam and Dean wandered in. They looked tired and dirty and not a little bit on the nervous side.

'Poor kids' Bobby thought as he looked over the boys.

John glanced at his sons and then to the interior of the house. He turned sharply on his heels and headed toward the living room. Very military Bobby mentally accused. No wonder he treats those boys that way, hes the general and they're the soldiers. He leads and they are expected to follow.

"Well, i guess you all will be here for a while. Your old man seems to have alot to say." Bobby tried to put on his most fatherly smile and grinned at the boys.

Once Dean saw the mans seemingly threatening smile he stepped in front of Sam, wrapping one arm behind him to keep Sam back.

" If you try anything, i will kill you." There was no way he was letting this man get him or Sam. "You try to eat us or make any shady moves, i'll have to stop you. Are we clear?" Dean had remembered that question from all the times his dad had given him instructions.

Bobby studied the boys serious green eyes and looked for any sign of a child beneath the protective, weary shell but found nothing. He was a protector through and through. Bobby heart felt for the boy, his life must have been incredibly hard so far. Bobby thought back to his own childhood, his brute of a father and how he always had to be strong to make it through the beatings.

There was no way in hell he was going to allow these boys lives to be nothing but monsters and blood.

"Oh you dont have to worry about that, i only eat kids on Wednesdays." Bobby snapped his teeth at the younger one and smirked.

Sam gave a half hearted smile, unsure if the man was joking or not and clutched Dean's shirt. Dean on the other hand bore a look of utter shock and fear which was slowly morphing into anger.

To Bobby, both boys looked like shaking squirrels.

"Im just messing with you sons. Im a hunter, just like your dad."

Dean relaxed and motioned for Sam to do the same. They both had had older hunters tease them before and so let down their guard down a little faster than usual.

Over his initial fear of the man, Sam turned to Dean and whispered up to him "Im getting hungry." Sam could not recall when he last ate and his stomach felt like an engulfing black hole.

"Ok sammy. I think their was a bag of chips leftover in the car." They had stopped earlier for a bathroom break and Dean had nicked some chips and soda before they left. Still just a kid and already a very good thief.

Dean turned back towards the door and made to go out before Bobby called out and stopped him.

"Hey listen if you are hungry i've got some stuff here. Its not much, just sandwiches and pasta, but i think it could tide you little ones over till dinner." After his wife was gone, Bobby wasn't one for healthy meals but he still liked him some club sandwiches.

The way the boys faces lit up one would think they had never been offered something so delectable, which after thinking about it, they might not have. Life on the road with and obsessed parent with little money didnt offer many luxuries.

"Ill go make something right now. Go in there with your pa and ill be back in a second." He gestured toward the book littered living room and then disappeared into the kitchen.

Inside was their father, hunched over at the desk flipping through various tomes. When he saw his sons he called them over. Sam got to him first and he pulled him into this lab and hugged him tightly. "I think we found it. Somewhere in all these books is the answer we need." his voice verged on ecstatic and his eyes manic in their fervor for the new found treasure trove of knowledge.

He reached out and ruffled Deans light hair. "You are such a good boy." Dean filled with a pride he hadn't felt for awhile, John rarely praised him. John looked down at his younger son and thought sadly "You look so much like your mother."

They stayed like that for a few moments before Bobby entered the room with a plate of food. "Here you are, you have to eat in here though." He set the food on an old dinning table and waited for the two to sit down and eat.

While they were distracted with their first real meal in weeks, Bobby slipped out into the living room and shut the doors behind him. Those kids dont need to hear what we are going to be talking about. It might hurt them more than they already are.

Sam, on his part, did not notice the older man's exit. Dean, however, did. He surveyed the kitchen around them, its trash and dirty dishes, the chipped paint on the cabinets, the refrigerator filled with leftovers, and especially the empty alcohol bottles.

"That man is sad Sammy." Dean said remorsefully. How strikingly similar was this mans life to their fathers.

"His names Bobby." the younger said with his mouth full. Even at such a young age his above normal intellect shined through. Dean had noticed this early when he was teaching sam to read. The boy caught on far quicker than anyone that dean had known, The same was true with his memory.

They sat in mutual silence until all the food as gone and still neither adult had made a return.

"Hey do you want to go explore?" Dean questioned suddenly. He house was large and who knows how many acres were covered with disused cars. "I wonder what kind of cool stuff we could find" dean thought.

Sam face scrunched up and he asked "What if we get in trouble?"

Dean put on his best shit eating grin and said "We won't. I promise." He knew he was lying, he had no idea how they would react, but it was the only way to get what he wanted. This was the first piece in a pattern that would continue for most of their lives.

"Yeah thats do it." cheered sam. He didn't need much convincing in the first place.

Both boys rose and headed further into the mysterious house.

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	6. Chapter 6

This ones alittle shorter than the other but such is life

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Sam had yet to let go of his butt.

It had been hours since their mutual spankings and he still felt the sting of the strike. Dean still refused to show any sign of pain or weakness and so acted as if they had never gotten in trouble.

He thought of how foolish it was to wonder around without their fathers permission.

Once they had left the kitchen they had wandered around the house and found nothing on interest. And it was only when they were outside playing around in the junkyard that anything bad happened. Dean was on top of some car when he fell through the roof of vanished into the stack of cars. Sam cried and got no response and so he ran back to the rundown house wailing about how dean was dead. Both men shot outside ready to fight whatever monster had taken the child. But Sam just ran further into the yard and begged for the adults to follow him.

Soon they reached the offending car stack and there was dean struggling to get free of his rusting prison. What followed was a series of shouts and cries and a fight to get to the top of the stack to reach the boy.

Once Dean was safe back on the ground and John made sure he was not fatally wounded, he struck the boy across the face. He then pulled him in and gave him ten brutal spanks. When he finished with him, he snached Sam and did the same to him.

As the boys were collapsed on the dirt in pain and exhaustion, John stormed to the Impala, stared her up and pulled out of the driveway in an enraged huff. Neither boy noticed.

Bobby stood with his shotgun resting at his side as the two children composed themselves. Dean reigned in his emotions first and dried his eyes. Snot still leaked from his nose and his eyes were red and puffy but he wouldn't let another tear fall. He collected Sam who clutched his behind in pain.

Bobby stepped aside to let the older boy past and as he did he was struck with a strange vision. It was like a soldier carrying an injured comrade back to the base, acting as though nothing was wrong even when he was injured as well.

"Oh you poor boy." Bobby uttered.

He followed them back into his home and turned on his tv to some cartoon channel. It was the Thundercats. It was Sams favorite show and while it distracted him from the residual soreness he did not let go of his behind.

And that led up to now.

"Their staying with me for now." Bobby decided. It would do them all good to be away from one another for a little bit. He had several empty rooms upstairs and they could stay in one of them.

He only had an air mattress at the moment but he was sure those kids wouldn't mind. He set it in one of the empty rooms and began to fill it up. While it was doing that he got some spare blankets and pillows from the closest and tried to clean up the room as best he could. The adjoining bathroom still worked and had hot water so they would love that.

He had nothing as far as clothes they could change into but that would be fine. If their dad wasn't back by tomorrow they would go shopping. It may not look like it but what he did was fairly lucrative so he had some cash to buy the boys some nice stuff.

When he went downstairs Sam and Dean were engrossed in the cartoon and paid him no mind. In the kitchen he filled a pot with water and set it to boil. He got out a bag of spaghetti noodles and tomato sauce and set out making a nice pasta dinner.

When the food was ready he called out but he heard no movement. When he walked over and turned off the television he broke the spell and life returned to both kids.

"Foods ready sons. Come and eat."

The children followed, dragged by the delectable aroma of hot food. They seemed mildly shocked by the sight of "italian" food but were delighted by it. They scarfed it down quickly with slurps and munches. By the time all the food was gone Sam was wobbling slightly as he fought to keep his eyelids open.

It was well past midnight.

Bobby scoped up the small boy and ushered Dean ahead of him toward the second floor bedroom that would be theirs for the time being.

Neither offered a question or complaint as the curled up onto the bed. They wrapped themselves nice and tight with the comforters and were quickly drifting off.

"Goodnight boys." Bobby said sweetly as he went to shut the door.

"Night." said the half asleep boys in unison. He shut the door as quietly as he could and already he could hear their soft snores.

That bastard better be back soon. He will break those kids hearts if he abandoned them.

"If he does that, i'll kill him myself." swore Bobby as he went to clean up the mess he had made in the kitchen.

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	7. Chapter 7

And on with another chapter! Enjoy...

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Sam could not say he was upset that their dad had abandoned them.

They had been left alone many times but Sam could not remember ever being left with a kind, responsible adult. Usually Jonh left twenty or forty bucks, told Dean to watch over him and was gone for whatever amount of time. But this time they had someone to care for them, to make sure they were fed and comfortable.

Bobby had been so nice to them over the past few days and had yet to yell at them or leave them to fend for themselves. So much so that a son like attachment for the man began to grow within both boys.

The day after John had left, Bobby had taken them to Sears. It was a massive store with anything one might need to live.

It was at this time that the boys started to notice Bobby. And it wasn't so much that Bobby was buying them clothes, it was that he was using money that he had earned. Not hustled money or fraudulent credit cards but real legal money that he had worked for.

Sam didnt know it at the time but Bobby was the first person he truly had respect for.

"Well you have to try it on to see if it fits you." Bobby said placatingly to an ornery Dean. Dean had yet to adjust to the newest person in their lives and so was acting a bit petulant.

"I dont see why we need new clothes, dads going to come back and get us anyway." Dean said as he held the tshirt like it was trash. To this day, Dean would deny the gnawing feeling that John had given up on his sons.

Bobby reigned in his irritation before it could rear its head. He wasnt angry at Dean for the way he was acting but at their father who had yet to even call about the state of his own children. "Does he not care what happens to them", Bobby thought "Any number of things could have happened to them by now."

"Well son, when he comes back i dont want him thinking i was treating you wrong. Besides who doesnt want some new clothes?"

Dean did not look convinced.

"And if you act good and try on the clothes, I'll get you two some toys."

Bobby noticed with amusement how both boys eyes lit up at the mention of toys. Dean tore off to the dressing room and Sam anxiously waited for Bobby to pick out clothes for him so he could do the same.

Bobby flipped through the racks and picked out things that seemed Sams size. He was small at the moment but the boy would obviously be tall and grow fast so he had to be selective on his choices.

Sam noticed that Bobby's fashion style was very similar to their fathers, lots of flannel and jean.

"What do you think about this?" Bobby said as he held up a shirt bearing a moose head in the center of the shirt.

"No way!" Sam protested. He would look so silly if he wore that.

Soon Sam had an armful of clothes and he too ran to try them on. Bobby drifted around waiting for the two to return and thought about the future of his current charges. How would all this affect them as adults? Would they even live to be adults if they stayed with their father? Why was it their mother that was targeted by a demon?

What would he do if John never came back?

He and Karin had always planned on having kids and really that's what the room Sam and Dean were staying in was originally meant for. But it had never come true. Was this fate's way of giving him back some of what he lost? But Bobby had lived a long time and knew that the Winchesters lives would go on a separate path.

But that didn't mean he wouldn't help them.

Dean returned first, carrying a bundle of clothes that fit and he liked. Bobby also picked out clothes that were a size or two too big so that he had something he could grow into. The same was done for Sam.

"Ok, put them in the cart and lets go get those toys."

Little shouts of excitement issued form the two and the little group headed toward the toy section.

Sam had gotten a kaleidoscope, a bag of toy soldiers, and a set of cartoon character action figures. Dean went for more action toys and got a plastic sword, a few little car models, and a bottle of slime. Sam also got a book but Bobby didnt know what the title was, only that, since he got it, he had yet to put it down.

A western was playing in the background and Sam and Dean were situated on the floor with their toys. Each had bathed and wore their new set of pajamas and were full of chinese take out. It seemed that they were playing a game of hunter, with the cartoon carters being monsters and the soldiers being hunters.

It was verging on disturbing to Bobby. The way they were describing things was brutal. Burn it alive and stabbed it in the heart all seemed to mature to Bobby.

It was during this moment of peace that Bobby's land line sprung to life. All three started at the sudden interruption. Bobby answered the phone wearily and he knew who it had to be.

"Hello John." Bobby said tersely. He was in no mood to talk to the man he had started to loathe.

"Im coming back tomorrow, have my sons ready to go. I still need to talk to you about the yellowed eyed demon. Have you come up with anything?" John said. He was obviously at a pay phone and sounded as if he had dumped his kids with a complete stranger and was now asking for them back.

Bobby had so many words on the tip of his tongue for John, how he was a wretched father, how he wouldn't give them back, how his obsession was destroying everything, but his sons were only feet away so he said nothing.

"Fine." And then he hung up less he say something he might regret.

He turned to the two children that he had grown fond of and tried to give a warm smile. "Your dads going to pick you up tomorrow."

It felt wrong to say that, felt cruel to allow them to continue with that man.

Who knows what went through those boys minds. Knowing that soon they would return to the world of monsters rather than of men.

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	8. Chapter 8

Welcome back. Do you like this story so far? Let me know!

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The motel had to have a ghost possession' thought Dean 'There was no way an ordinary room could be this freezing.

It was sometime in late September and a cold snap had washed down from the north, making everything frigid outside. And to compound the cold was the fact that inside the old hotel room there was no heater. "Its colder than Judecca."

"Dean can you get me another tissue?" sniffled Sam. His arms were too short to reach the roll of paper towels that were against the wall in the kitchenet. Dean had considered putting them on the floor or table but dismissed the idea due to the variety of suspicious stains that littered every part of the room.

"Sure hold on." Sams nose had been running recently and he seemed to shake every once in awhile. The room was a small, two bed affair that had to have been built long before the 80s, it was tacky beyond belief.

John had left a few mornings back to hunt a beldam a few towns over. She had been cutting out women's hearts and stringing them in trees like holiday lights.

She wasnt the most gentle thing in the world.

He had said it might take a few days, maybe even weeks, to killer her and that we should make ourselves at home. He had left a few fifties on the counter and then walked out, saying nothing more than "take care of your brother."

As Dean watched his taillights fade away, he thought of how long it had been since anyone had said "i love you" or "be safe" to him.

"Here you go Sammy." he said passing along the sheets. When his hand brushed against Sam's, he felt an unnatural warmth coming from him.

"Hey wait, Sammy. Come here for a moment." The child shuffled over to the other and waited to see what was wrong.

Dean placed his hand on Sam's forehead the way he had seen him mom do to him. Despite his hands being the temperature of ice, sam sighed and pressed his face further against his hand.

"I think your sick." said Dean "your really warm."

Sam was not shocked by the news having already concluded that himself. Both had been sick before and it had never been an issue. A cold here, a cough there, nothing to really worry about.

"I'll be fine." said Sam as he wiggled under his sheets. His bed was the one closer to the wall so that Deans bed was always between the door and Sam, a habit Dean would keep for the rest of his life. Sam wrapped his coverlet around himself like a cocoon and looked at Dean in an odd way.

"What?" questioned Dean. Sam had a habit of his own were he would just look at Dean and expect him to understand his thoughts.

"What do you want? Just tell me."

Sam motioned his head toward the television in the room and Dean reluctantly rose from his own bed to turn on the tv. Sam dug further into his matters and drifted off to the sound of some program. Dean waited an hour or so before he got up once again to switch it off. Having noise would make it hard to hear if something was coming for them.

Dean woke to the sound of retching.

He was out of bed and at Sams side in the bathroom before he was even fully awake. Sam was draped over the toilet seat spitting out sick. He was shaking and felt hot to the touch.

Dean sat beside him stroking his back and moving his overgrown hair out of his face. He was sweating profusely and seemed to be in pain.

"I'll be right back ok Sammy. Your doing real good just get all the bad stuff out."

Dean went to their duffle bag and got out a new set of clothes. He also grabbed a glass of water and a bottle of Tylenol.

Sam was no longer throwing up when he returned. He handed him the glass of water and the pills. "hopefully he won't vomit again soon." thought Dean. Dean turned on the shower and pulled out some towels. He didnt know what else to do to help him.

"Here, take a bath and get dressed with these." he said handing him the clothes, "Ill be right outside if you start to not feel well. Just call me ok?"

Sam nodded weakly and began to undress. Dean shut the door and waited for his brother to come out.

'If only dad was here he would know what to do' Dean lamented. There was no way to contact him either. Asking someone at the motel was out of the question because he had no excuse as for why two little kids were left alone. They had spent some of the money John had given them and even if they hadn't, Dean didn't know what kind of medicine Sam needed.

"What should i do?"

Awhile late Sam emerged redressed. He looked horrible.

"Here come lay down in my bed, yours is all sweaty." Sam laid down and was out immediately, he was exhausted. Dean would not sleep that night, he was the sentry that would watch over his brother in case he was needed.

The morning came with no change in Sams health. He said his muscles and head hurt, he kept shaking, and had the symptoms of allergies.

What to do? What to do?

Dean was at a loss for what he needed to do. There was no solution that didn't mean paying money, asking strangers for help, or possibly getting caught for stealing.

The clothes Bobby had bought Sam needed to be washed so he had something to wear at night. They also needed food and medicine.

What to do?

And it was like getting smacked in the face. "Of course" uttered Dean. He went to his father's bag and pulled out a black journal. In it was the information about all the monsters they had hunted. But it wasn't just that, it had a list of Johns contacts. And somewhere in there was Bobbys home number.

On the third ring, the older man answered. Dean explained everything that had happened and almost begged for help. "Just hold tight boy and keep doing what you're doing. Sounds like Sam had the flu. Ill be where your at by tomorrow night. Be safe Dean."

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	9. Chapter 9

Ok. This chapter may have some errors, please send me a message if you spot any or if you have trouble understanding the continuity. Read and Review. Thanks...

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Bobby watch out the back window onto the lawn as John smack Dean across the head for the seventh time. He just couldn't seem to hold the gun right or he didn't hit the target perfectly or their was some minute mistake he made that John thought was worth punishment.

It sickened Bobby to the core.

Dean's birthday was only a few days away; he should be worried about what he was going to get for presents, not how to shot a gun. How could any self-respecting parent be so cold to their own child?

It had been a few days since Bobby got a call from a worried Dean talking about how Sam was sick. He had rushed two states over and picked up the two. He left a note for John telling him that he had taken the boys back to his house and that Sam had the flu. John called him three days later saying he was on the way. They had been staying with him ever since.

Now Bobby loathed John Winchester, but he wanted to make sure Sam got the medical treatment he needed and so allowed the man to stay at the house.

"Come on Dean, the vampire were going to be hunting won't be standing still like those can. You need to hit the mark dead on everytime." whispered John into Dean's ear. He had to be quite or Bobby might learn of his planes. A series of cans were set up along a fence line so that he could practice his aim. But John didn't like imperfection and so had started to treat Dean like he had other soldiers in his marine corps team.

Bobby pushed open the screen door and called out to the two. "Hey i got to head up to the store to pick up a few things, might take a few hours. Make sure Sam gets his medication on time." He waved goodbye at Dean and smiled as he turned back into the house.

"Sam, are you awake?" he whispered into the living room.

"Yeah i'm up." wearily responded Sam. "Just reading."

"Well i'm going to be gone for awhile and I just wanted to let you know." He was actually going to get Dean a present but he didn't want to give it away. Every kid deserves a surprise party.

"Ok. ill be waiting right here." Sam said as he returned to his book.

"Well, i'm off. Be good." Moments later the sound of a truck driving away echoed through the house. Then it was silent again only fractured by the sound of gunshots outside.

* * *

Sam was wrapped in a large blanket laying on the couch. A thermometer hung out of his mouth and the ice pack resting on his head had lost its cool a while ago.

John had taken dean on a hunt. It was an hour after Bobby left that the TV showed a scene of a grisly murder. It had apparently been an ongoing thing, which to the hunter's eye, was obviously caused by something supernatural. Some lone vampire was attacking children about Dean's age. John planned on using Dean for bait, saying how it would help build his fortitude against the supernatural.

"Sam when Bobby gets back tell him I took Dean with me on a mission. Don't tell him what were hunting or where we're going, he'll only try to stop me. Can you do that for me Boy?" John told Sam, either of his large hands resting on Sam's slight shoulders.

"Yes sir" Sam mumbled weakly, if there was anything he hated more than hunting monsters, it would be having to lie to Bobby.

To Sam, he was more of a father to him than John was, at least Bobby didn't force him to kill things and that he remembered birthdays (even though he hadn't revealed his plans to him, Sam knew what the older man meant to do for Dean) and how when he woke up with nightmares he could always go to Bobby. John would leave him and Dean alone for days at a time at some seedy motel and not care enough to call. Only Bobby would check in on them and order food if they had run out of money.

Bobby had gone on run to get "food and supplies" earlier and had said it would take about all day to get finished.

He was proud that his dad trusted him enough to be by himself for a few hours and falling back into sickness had not been in his planes. He threw up a little while after John left and again when he watching TV in the living room. He hadn't taken his medicine since Bobby had given it to him the day prior.

Sam's head felt like it was on fire and every part of him ached. So when a knock on the door came he didn't have the energy to get up. And the knock didn't sound urgent so it was probably salesman or some religious group or maybe even a customer. either way Sam couldn't be bothered by it and when the knocking had ceased he figured they had left.

It was so quiet and warm that Sam soon drifted off. He was asleep by the time the stranger outside had picked the lock on the door.

* * *

Why is Bobby never around when i need him? the man thought to himself.

He softly shut the door behind him and set the lock back into place. The home was as dark and messy as the last time he had visited. Books and mystical objects littered the floor, the air smelled of burgers and beer, and the general sense of "crazy" covered the space.

Rufus couldn't say much against the decor though because his home was very similar, only his smelled like Johnnie Walker Blue.

Rufus picked his way through the house and made for the living room. He planned on hanging around until Bobby returned. He didn't know when that would be but if he wasn't back by nightfall he forfeited his right to the master bed.

He was brought up short when he saw a small boy laying across Bobby's sofa. He was flushed and breathing intermittently. Besides him were a garbage bag and a bottle of pills. The boys wavy hair was matted to his face and seemed to be having a fitful dream.

"Well that's a new one." muttered Rufus softly as he got closer to the kid. With a gentle shake Rufus pushed Sam into wakefulness. The boys face turned sour as he sat up and made for the trashcan beside him. Rufus stood patiently for the boy to finish before asking "Curse?"

The boy looked at him quizzically then said "No, just the flu." Rufous backed away a bit at that, never being one for germs. Hunting demons and monsters was one thing but sicknesses was something he did not want to deal with.

"So who are you and why are you in m...Bobbys house?" Sam had been so close to saying "my house" that it made him sad.

"Well Im an old friend of Bobbys. And i come and go as i please." Rufus shot back. 'Now how about you tell me who you are."

Sam knew better than to trust strangers, especially living the way they did, but the guy didn't seem like much of a threat. And besides what harm would it be to tell him his name.

"Its Sam. Sam Winchester."

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	10. Chapter 10

Ok so a few things. One updates are slow because college is what it is. Second this chap is short. Also i dont know where it comes to play i the timeline of this story but i just wanted to write this... Thank ya for reading. Please read and review...

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The cashier watched the light haired boy intently.

The kid had a dirty, run away look to him. He wore a shirt that was a size too big and a ragged out jacket that looked like it was made years ago. His hair was messy and he looked tired almost verging on sickly. He was around the age of twelve but there was something in his eyes that made him seem older. The cashier had seen plenty like him while working at the gas station. During the many years he had sat behind the counter there had been quite a few runaways and problem children who had passed through.

They all looked the same and acted the same and they always stole the same things.

The boy had green eyes and he scanned the shelves, grabbing things as he went.

The cashier just watched him steal. He wouldn't say anything until the kid tried to walk out.

Sometimes people who were going to steal had a change of heart and couldn't go through with it. They would take out the things they stole and would put them back and leave, looking worse than when they arrived. The cashier never said anything to those people, he knew they had enough hanging over them; they didn't need an extra guilt trip.

The boy walked closer to the door and glanced back to the man behind the counter. The cashier just watched him, his old eyes calculating what the boy would do.

Their eyes meet and the boy said "Sorry, but I'm taking these."

The kid turned and went out the door. He only made it into the parking lot until the old clerk had pulled him back into the store telling him about how wrong it was to take things without paying for them.

" You know how many lives have been ruined because of theft. You start off with the small things and before you know it you're stealing cars. Didn't your parents teach you anything? I should call the cops so they can set you straight." The old man raved.

He had pulled the boy into the main part of the store and spun him so that he was facing him.

"Empty your pockets."

Internally the boy laughed, he had been helping out in car theft long before he had began to steal.

The boy removed his jacket and began pulling out assorted items hidden not only in the pockets but in hidden compartments that seemed to have been made exclusively for theft.

On this kids body the man saw scars. Some looked like slash marks and others like burns that never got the medical treatment they needed. The cashier never knew about "hunting" or how scars are a seemingly mandatory part of the job. He didn't know that those wounds were the marks of actions that saved unknown numbers of people. And he never would. All he could see where signs of abuse and pain that should be alien to a kid so young, yet here was one, covered in scars and stealing juice boxes and food.

"Oh son I'm so sorry"

It may because he sympathized with the child's pain or it's was that he stopped him from taking the things he needed to survive or that there was nothing he could do to help the boy because he didn't want help. Maybe it was all of it, the cashier never did figure it out.

"Its nothing, really. But I really need that food can you please let me go. I can't pay you but I promise that none of it will be wasted, Sir." He said politely.

The cashier handed back the jacket along with the food. He would pay for all the food with his own money, it was the only thing he could really do for the boy.

A few moments later the boy was walking out again only this time nothing was stolen.

"Thank you." said the boy then he vanished down the road walking towards a grimy hotel.

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	11. Chapter 11

Hello again. If you see any errors please let me know. Thanks for all the support. Please read and review. On to the story...

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John watched with amusement as he son devoured his burger, ketchup and mustard oozing from either side of his hands. Grease dribbled out of the back part of the burger and splash on the red basket that held Deans fries. Sam looked on with revulsion in his eyes.

They were stopped at some roadside dinner that boasted having the greatest food in the state and offered free milkshakes for children under thirteen. Sam and Dean were still children after all, and as soon as they saw that sign, they began to chant and protest to stop in the way that only children do.

He had driven past it, but the sound of sadness his sons let out seemed to move his hands for him and he turned around and headed back.

It was one of those touristy like places that had memorabilia scattered about like an antique store have vomited its contents. Nothing had an assigned place and it was headache inducing if looked at to long. Novelties and local mysteries were the main focus, like the supposed "mermaid" that was in a glass case when they had walked in. It was obvious to John that it was a hoax but Sam and Dean became instantly enthralled.

"Dean stop it!" Sam shouted. Dean was reaching toward his face with fingers covered in condiments and giggling madly. Sam swatted at him but that only encouraged his actions further.

John let it continue for a few more moments, enjoying the feeling of being a normal family. Sons messing around, a good lunch before them, no monsters to hunt. With a sigh he pulled Dean's jacket to get him away from his younger son.

"Don't make such a mess." he said gruffly. "and don't mess with your brother."

Sam smirked and stuck his tongue out at Dean and John pretended he hadn't seen it.

The restaurant had very few people, being that odd time between lunch and dinner, and so they were waited on hand and foot.

Sam pushed away his own burger. John took notice to this odd behavior as neither of his sons had ever refused food.

"Whats wrong sam?" John questioned

"Dean made me lose my appetite." he answered. There was that vernacular that shouldn't belong to a child. Where did he learn big words like that' John internally wondered.

"Can i just get an apple or something?" He gave him such a pleading look that, for the second time that day, he caved.

"Sure" he said as he pulled a five out of his wallet. The boy happily took the money and scampered off toward the register. John picked up his own burger and resumed eating but was soon distracted by the sight of his other son.

Dean had set down his own meal and was staring intently at the video game section the restaurant had set aside for kids. In particular it was pacman and galaga that had his attention. John said nothing and waited for Sam to return to the table. Dean and Sam resumed eating and while they were distracted he glanced in his wallet. He had a bunch of old receipts and fifteen dollars.

He mentally sighed. He missed the days when he had honest cash on him and he never had to worry about not having enough to survive. He was sure the boys missed that too.

"You all done?" John questioned. Dean and Sam both nodded in unison, something they did every once in awhile that amused John to no end. The two boys stood and began to walk toward the front door.

Oh what the hell john thought.

"Now, where are you two going. Were not done yet." He called out as he pulled the ten out of his crumbling wallet. There was a coin dispenser that he inserted the money into and by this time the boys had caught on.

They crowded around the machine and waited for their tokens, huge smiles plastered on their faces. Soon the metallic tinkle came and before they could snatch any John placed his hand over the opening.

"We're doing this fairly. Hold out your hands." Each obeyed and waited eagerly for their share. In each hand he placed fifteen of the forty coins, keeping ten for himself. He knew the ten would be given to the boys but he wanted them to have to ask him for them.

They shouted in jubilation and rushed at the awaiting games. Sam immediately went for the skeeball game and Dean went for Packman. After their first game was over they went to the little prize dispenser things. Dean got a fake tattoo sticker. Sam got a rubbery sticky arm toy. And so it went back and forth from one game to the next.

When all of Sams and Deans tokens were gone John said they should play air hockey with him. Dean went first and John at first scored a point one after another, and then let Dean win by acting like he was still trying his hardest and the young boy was beating him for real. Sam went next and John did the same charade.

It was important to John to let his sons win. It would build them up as people. He gave his remain coins to the two as their prize for beating him. After purchasing two more toys they left the dinner and hour or so later than they otherwise would have.

They piled into the Impala and dove away. Sam and Dean sat in the back seat playing with their new toys. Dean pitting his toy figure against Sam's little plastic car.

John left the radio off and listened to the sound of his sons laughing and arguing using the logic that only kids have. It seemed to be hours until silence stretched across the back seat. Both boys were sound asleep in the back, worn out from one of their better days in a while.

John still only had a five in his wallet. He would have to stop and hustle some pool at the next seedy bar they came across. But it had been so worth it, to have forgotten their lifestyle for just a bit. And most importantly to see those unburdened smiles again.

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So, is it good? Let me know! I love reviews, it really helps. Love yall and see you soon...


	12. Chapter 12

Sorry for not posting in awhile for anyone reading this. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Please read and review. Thanks

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Sam had learned early on that Dean had no natural proclivity for books or the lengthy act of study. He was a more hands on, warrior type, wanting the answer right when a problem arose.

So it was not surprise that Dean was moving restlessly around the library that Bobby had taken them too. He had read the comic books they offered but hey we're old and out of date and it wasn't long before there was nothing that could hold his interest.

"Come on Sammy, let's go." Dean said when he wandered back to where Sam was seated. "Just check them out and then we can leave. There's nothing good here."

Sam had also notice how patient he was compared to his father and brother. He loved to read and learn and that he was attracted to more cultural subjects. Even the woman at the front desk notice that he was unlike other children in his intelligence and interests.

"Dean you know i can't. If i check them out and dad gets another case, i won't be able to return them." Sam knew they would probably never return to this out-of-the-way town again.

Dean just rolled his eyes and walked away again.

Some time later Sam was ready to leave due to Deans incessant nagging. He left his mound of books behind to hopefully be found at the next library he was able to go to. Money was always tight, monster hunting didn't exactly pay well, and so John could hardly afford bullets and hotel rooms let alone books unrelated to the supernatural.

Sam looked back for a moment to the books he had only half finished before he followed after his brother, who had bolted once Bobby had told him that he was done reading.

* * *

Bobby's home had become more of a free hotel/ lore stockpile/free babysitter for John than anything. So the three of them were more or less freeloading at the older man's home. When Bobby and the boys came home John had fixed up some burgers. Recently he had been more relaxed and warm than usual. It was due to the lull in stress he had because Mary's killer trail had gone cold for a moment, no new cases had risen, and he had a stable place to lay his and his sons heads safely.

"Hiya champ" John said as he lifted Sam up off the ground and carried him into the kitchen area. Sam was no longer some toddler that could be lugged around but a fairly tall child, but John had no issue holding him up.

While Sam and Dean sat down to gorge themselves on their dad's surprisingly good cooking, Bobby pulled John off to the side and spoke to him quietly. Sam hardly took notice.

* * *

It was midafternoon when they set off to leave on another case. Days had passed since the excursion to the library and Sam thought about the information he was going to miss out on.

As Sam and Dean lugged their duffle bags to the Impala, John pulled out a stack of something wrapped in twine from Bobby's hallway.

Its was only after they had been driving for twenty minutes did John reveal the thing he had placed in the passenger seat.

"So Bobby told me that you didnt finish the books you were reading the other day." John said aloud, looking back at the younger through the rearview mirror. Sam had been watching the scenery pass by and simple said "No, but I'll get to read them all one day."

John smiled to himself as he thought of how soon his son's wish would come true.

"Well would you like to finish them today?" he looked to see Sam's confused, scrunched up face. He picked up the stack and handed it back to Sam who looked trepidacious and excited all at once.

When he tore open the paper he found all the books he had been reading plus a few more. They were all new or at least in fairly good condition. But most importantly they were his.

"Bobby and i went out and bought them. You all need something to keep you occupied on these drives."

John notice Dean was less than thrilled but was happy for Sam none the less.

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So what did you think? Let me know! Later my dears...


	13. Chapter 13

And another chapter has arrived! Enjoy!

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Dean loved Saturday morning cartoons. Thundercats, Transformers, He-Man. He loved them all. Each episode they always fought against impossible odds, against monsters and evil plans, and each time they came out the hero. There was magic and sword fights and epic battles, wars going on that no one else knew about. Heroes with secret identities and even more secret knowledge. Dean loved it.

He wasn't conscious about how the cartoons might mimic his life yet it was those similarities that drew him to the cartoons in the first place. They did the right thing, battled evil even when no one else knew, kept what they were hidden away from everyone. It was like his favorite gunslinger movies, most of whom worked outside of the law to protect the peace of the people.

Sam would watch from the motels kitchen table as Dean sat transfixed by the happenings of the show. Dean, by most people's standards, should have had outgrown such shows yet every Saturday he would plop himself in front of the TV to watch them. Sam didn't mind, he liked seeing his brother happy.

Today it was Silverhawks and both boys lazed about the couch, bowl of sugar infused cereal in hand. The characters ran around on screen firing lasers and flying through the stars on their metal wings. For awhile it felt normal to the two boys. Not in an 'this is how it is everyday when your dads a hunter' way but more like what a truly normal pair of brothers might do.

When the show ended and the daily news started the spell was broken. They weren't normal kids anymore now they were the children of a monster hunter.

Sam let this thought flow through him and felt something akin to bitterness whel up in him. He didn't like that he only felt like an ordinary kid for an half hour at a time.

"Hey" Sam said turning around to look at Dean who was washing the dishes in the sink. "Can we go do something today?" Something normal' he added internally.

Dean didn't even look back at him as he said no. They needed to stay here until dad got back. Same old reasoning that Sam had heard a thousand times before. John was gone but then again when was he not. This time he had gotten a lead on the yellow eyed demon and had been gone for close to a week.

Dean held on to the hope that he would walk through the door any second, Sam wasn't so optimistic.

"Dean!" he whinned and gave him what Bobby called his "puppy eyes". Dean held strong for a moment, the deeply ingrained rules his father had taught him putting up a fight, but collapsed under the weight of his brothers request. Dean had to protect Sam, had to make sure he was as happy as possible. And Dean had learned from experience that if he didn't go along with Sam, Sam might just get up and do it regardless and then he would have to spend all day trying to find him.

Yeah, it was better just to submit.

"Fine. What do you want to do?" Sam scrunched up his face and thought. He had actually picked anything in particular because he didn't think he would make it that far. "Hey can we go to that arcade we saw when we drove in?"

Dean cast a look at the meager amount of money they had and sighed. "Sure Sammy, we just have to do something first."

A short walk later they were in some seedy bar. The kind of bar that didn't ask to see your ID or care what your business was so long as you paid and kept your hands off the waitresses. No one even cared when two children walked in.

Dean was in his early teens, but fairly tall. Sam was about four years away from being a teenager himself and hadn't hit any kind of growth spurt yet.

Dean walked to one of the pool tables and meet the sneers with an unflinching gaze. Both boys knew what they were thinking, 'two kids walk in and think they could beat them! Impossible'. Yet not twenty minutes later they were walking out of the bar, pockets full of cash and hateful glares boring into their backs.

Sam had to admit he was glad their dad insisted on them learning how to play pool like professionals.

The arcade was called Future Blast and seemed to be filled with the entire town's teen population, which still wasn't that many.

They got their coins and headed straight for the skee ball machine. They had an ongoing competition about who could get the highest score, with Dean being in the lead. The only reason being that last time they had played skee ball was at this horrible place called Plucky Pennywhistle's Magical Menagerie where Sam had lost focus due to all the monstrous clowns everywhere.

Sam won the first and second round, Dean the third, which tied up their overall scores. But they were running low on coins and wanted to play other games as well. For hours they flitted between games, basking in the light of the electronic screens and the scent of old plastic, candy, and sweat.

When they finally left it was mid afternoon and they were down half of their newly acquired stash of money, which was still more than they had that morning.

There was a fairly nice restaurant in the main part of the town, an German joint with schnitzel and wurst. Far out of their price range any other time but today was a bit different. It would look suspicious if they had more money than what they started with when John got back. And he would be furious to hear that they had not only left the motel but had gotten the money from hustling pool and wasted a day at an arcade.

The food at that German restaurant was the best they had had in a long time. When your diet consists of junk food and take out. sometimes is good to just sit down and have a good meal. They would remember the restaurant and when making cross country drives they often stop there.

When they got back to the motel, there was no Impala in the driveway and no John in the room. They had gotten away with their little excursion. They went inside, took showers, dressed in their sleep clothes, and settled into their beds.

"Thanks Dean." Sam said from the other side of the room. "I had a great day."

"Sure Sam... Now go to bed."

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So did you like it? I would love to hear what you think. Until next time sweet peas...


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